Blue whale

Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to live on Earth. It belongs to the group of marine mammals called baleen whales. Blue whales can grow up to 30 meters (100 feet) in length and can weigh more than 150 tons. Their hearts are as big as a small car, and their tongues can weigh as much as an elephant.

Blue whales have a long, streamlined body with a blue-gray color on top and lighter shades underneath. They are found in oceans all around the world, usually migrating between cold feeding grounds and warm breeding areas.

Blue whales feed mainly on tiny shrimp-like animals called krill. During feeding season, a single blue whale can eat up to 4 tons of krill per day.

Even though they are the biggest animals, blue whales are gentle and peaceful. They communicate using very low-frequency sounds that can travel long distances underwater. These calls are among the loudest sounds made by any animal.

Blue whales were once hunted heavily, which reduced their population, but today they are protected. They are listed as Endangered, and conservation efforts continue to help their numbers grow.